I was never a big fan of progressive rock bands such as Yes, Emerson Lake and Palmer and King Crimson in my youth and must admit that I have come to appreciate them as I’ve grown older. So, a chance to see legendary prog-rock band Camel playing the whole of their 1976 classic fourth album Moonmadness live in one of my favourite venues, was an opportunity too good to miss. This wonderful 1926 art-deco ex dance hall had a refit in 2008 by Lawrence Llewellyn-Bowen and tonight is almost at its 1000 capacity.
There is little fuss as the first bars of `Aristillus` are piped through the house pa and the crowd comes alive to the expectation of what`s ahead. The show commences, and the album is shared in full and in order with `Song Within A Song` opening and there`s some wonderful guitar fret work during the latter part of this piece. The instrumental `Chord Change` is a real jazzy offering before the reflective `Spirit Of The Water` which begins with Mr Latimer playing a recorder and I’m thrust back to my schooldays and how we all, were almost forced to take up the recorder. Maybe if this piece was practiced, we`d have a lot more bands highlighting this instrument. The album and first section of the show concludes with `Another Night` with it`s shared vocals and saxophone flurry, `Air Born` introduced with a compelling flute intro and instrumental `Lunar Sea` rounding procedures off.
We have an interval to take breath and reflect on what`s been shared before the troupe return and play over an hour of some classic tracks across a range of albums from their career. The setlist covers later albums from Rain Dances, I Can See Your House From Here, Stationary Traveller to Dust And Dreams.
The up-tempo `Unevensong` kicks us off before a song I really enjoyed, the intricate `Hymn To Her` The tunes come thick and fast and although the guys do express their thoughts, the band let the music speak for itself. Just before the delightful `Rajaz` is played Mr Latimer asks us to imagine that we are sitting around a campfire in the desert, looking at the stars and offers up an indulgence, which I found wonderfully hypnotic almost tripnotic, if there is such a word. The biggest cheer of the night went out for `Ice` Although some of these pieces are lengthy compositions, Latimer`s mesmerising guitar playing ensures that they aren`t overly leaden. The set concludes with the aptly named `Long Goodbyes` and the band take the applause of this appreciative audience.
It`s not long before they are cheered back to the stage and deliver the final composition in the form of `Lady Fantasy` from the 1974 album Mirage, Andrew Latimer is the only remaining founder member, but the other fellas are superbly accomplished musicians and put a flourish to these intricate arrangements, singing the lead on a number of these pieces. They are Colin Bass (bass guitar, vocals), Denis Clement (drums) and Peter Jones (keyboards, vocals, saxophone).
This evening was a time to relish this predominantly instrumental, melodic outing which combined elements from rock, pop, jazz, blues, folk, classical and electronica. I can appreciate why Opeth`s Mikael Akerfeldt, Steven Wilson and Marillian name check Camel as an influence in their careers. An immensely heartening night.
